Flexible needle sewing machine



.July 3 1945- M. s. MALEK l 2,379,733

FLEXIBLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE l Filed July 1, 1943 I .5. Wig/'cPatented July 3,- 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT 16 Claims.

This invention relates to devices such as long needle sewing machines.

One object of the invention is to provide a. device of the characterdescribed having improved means for the gaging, folding, and sewing ofneckties which are crimped in the folded gaged position and thus sewn byone or more long flexible needles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thenature set forth having improved means for feeding a long, flexibleneedle, such that the feeding means and the needle occupy a space muchless than the length of the needle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved feeding means fora long, flexible needle, whereby the latter is Wound back and forth in asubstantial circle, for projection and retraction, and is rigidlymaintained in the curved path against any buckling tendency caused bythe resistance of a plurality of crimped portions of fabric which arebeing penetratedl by the needle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means such that aflexible drive element is utilized to powerfully maintain the longflexible needle against buckling at any point in its curved path.

Another object of the invention is to construct improved means wherebythe needle is reliably maintained in its curved path by a chain underhigh tension, and a exible cushioning element acting between the needleand portions of the chain.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means comprisinga guide wheel or roller having a needle retaining exible member, and anovel guide element adapted to lie as closely as possible to the pointof tangent contact of the member with the wheel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in View, the invention consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed -out in the subjoined claims, andillustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated bythe same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a-machine according to theinvention, with lining and necktie fabrics disposed in caged positionthereon relative to a crimping head, preparatory to folding the necktie,the upper of the crimping heads being removed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the machine of Fig. 1, withthe necktie folded, and the upper crimping head descending to crimp thelining and tie for the sewing by the long flexible needle.

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary diagrammatic front view, with parts in sectionshowing a device embodying the invention in the feeding of a long,flexible needle.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse view with parts in sectionof the needle feeding structure. l

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view, with parts in section, showing thecooperation of the drive chain, and flexible cushioning element.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line li--B ofFig. '7 showing a guide for the needle adjacent to the point where itleaves its arcuate drive path.

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6 with parts in section.

Fig. 8 is a schematic\\fragmentary plan view of a modification.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a fabric stitched thereby.

Fig. l0 is a, schematic fragmentary plan view of another modication.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure. but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several differentconstruc tions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merelyas showing the preferred exempliiication of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a device embodying theinvention. The same may include atable Il having a longitudinaldownwardly offset front portion I2, that may be slotted lengthwise atsupporting portion I4. In the space I3 is disposed a bottom jaw l5, withwhich there may cooperate an upper jaw I6. The latter may be movable upand down in any suitable manner into cooperation with the bottom jaw.Both jaws have generally like meshing teeth, forming respective `racksIl, I8 for crimping one or more fabrics. The teeth may be centrallynotched as at I9. 2D so that the racks each provide a guide- I3 to forma striplike Positioned on the table is a folding means such as a slideplate 24, carrying gauge elements for av necktie blank T, which as thusgauged extends over the lining L just beyond the needle guideway of thejaw I5. A gage element or plate 26 for the fold line of the tie ispositioned thereon by an end hinge or by cooperation with the shoulderoffset 21. While the plate 26 is pressed down on the tie, the plate 24is moved forward so that its leading edge, acting as a gage,

folds the tie, with the fold line being at a predetermined location andhaving a desired form. The free edges of the tie are now superposed oneach other, and the tie and lining are in correct position for sewing.This position is maintained with the aid o'f the downward pressure ofthe slide plate 24 on the -tie and. lining, until such time as the upperhead IB is lowered to clamp and crimp the vfabric portions that are tobe sewn. Then thehead I6 is raised, the plate 24 retracted, and theguide 26 which may be split or collapsible if necessary, is retractedendwise from the tie, permitting the latter to be removed andsubsequently pulled inside out.

The novel guiding and driving means 30 for the needle 2| will now bedescribed. The same may include' any member affording a curved orcircular guide path for the needle, such as 3|. To reduce friction withthe needle, the member 3| is preferably angularly movable or rotatable,and it may lconstitute a wheel or large roller. In most cases thecircumference of the wheel may be approximately equal to or onlyslightly less than the length of the needle 2|, but'the needle may bewrapped around the wheel more than once, as bythe use of a helical path.Thus a high degree of compactness is obtained, and

the loss of a great'deal of floor space by the usev of long rigidneedles is avoided.

Formed centrally along the periphery of the wheel, in the plane thereof,is a groove 32 for the needle, the latter being suitably anchored to thewheel at its remote end 33 so that the needle shall not be rotatableabout its axis. Along the edges of the periphery of the wheel are formedannular opposed lips or flanges 34 whereby an undercut or guide grooveis furnished for a flexible element 35 which may consist of very thinspring materials or other flexible, or cushioning material. The element35 may also be affixed to the wheel in any suitable manner at 33, andthe same connection may be used as for the needle. This element is woundonce around the wheel, with its free end always lying in a containersuch as 3'6. Accordingly, as the needle is projected and the element 35correspondingly unwound, the latter is received and housed in thecontainer 36.

In order not to place any undue strain on the element 35, a separatetension member such as 31 may be used for actuating the wheel 3| toproject the needle. Preferably the member 31 is so constructed as to beadapted to take a high tension and to cooperate with the element 3.5, sothat the same tension which actuates the wheel, bears down tightlyradially upon the element 35 to maintain the needle in the groove 32 andavoid anybuckling of the needle. Conveniently, the member 31 may be madeas a chain, which may be affixed at one end to the wheel 3|, as at 33,in any suitable manner. This chain may rest on the element 35, and atthe point where it leaves the wheel, it may extend around a roller 38which is pressed toward the wheel. To assure relatively even pressure onthe element 35, the chain may be quite flat. For instance, it mayconsist of spaced pins such as 39 pivotally interconnected at their endsby links 40. The arrangement may be such that the links lie at the sidesof the wheel so as to permit the pins 39 to rest directly on the element35, or to rest also in part on the annular lips 34. Accordingly it isseen that theelement 35 may be regarded as serving as a flexible bridgebetween successive pins 39 for an equalized pressure on the needle.Without the element 35, the chain would bear on the needle only at thepoints 39, and hence the needle would lie subjected to shock and to abuckling tendency.

If it be desired to use the roller 38 as a drive member, it may beprovided with sprocket portions to engage the chain 31. Thus sprocketmembers 4| may be connected to the roller at opposite sides thereof, sothat their teeth 42 may directly engage the chain in any suitablemanner, for instance, at the pins 3'9 thereof. The roller may now berotated by any desired source of power to cause projection of theneedle; in fact, the sprockets 4| may be considered to be illustrativeof a power drive.

It is important that the roller 38 shall be pressed down tightly on thechain, especiallyif the latter is under lateral tension. Hencestationarymembers 45 may have guideways 46 for bearing blocks 41 that rotatablycarry the shaft of the roller-sprocket unit, these blocks beingdownwardly actuated in any feasible manner. For example, the guidewaysmay be inclined to afford a downward component as a result of the chaintension. In this way the strip spring 35 is held tightly on the wheel toavoid any buckling of the needle, and such pressure will increaseautomatically with any increase in tension on the chain; moreover,vibration at the bearing -is reduced to a minimum.

The retraction of the needle may be accomplished in any suitable mannerdirected to the wheel 3| acting as a drive member for that purpose. Thusa pulley or drum 48 connected to the wheel 3| may be actuable by atension element 49 secured thereto at 50, trained over an idler 5|, andcarrying a weight 52. The latter, being substantially greater thanweight 43, with the size of the pulley 48 affording ample leverage,causes retraction of the needle, the driver 38 being released manuallyor otherwise. Since the weight `43 is carried by the chain, it assuresthat the chain is held snugly wrappedaround the wheel 3|, the driver nowacting as an idler, the weight 43 moving upward while the needle isbeing retracted. Thus the sole function of the weight 43 is to eliminateany possible slack in the chain.

The advancing needle must be reliably guided as closely as possible toits tangent contact with the wheel 3|. This may be affected by astationary tubular guide 60 that may be fixed to the lower jaw memberI5; point portion of the needle may lie in the guide when the needle isretracted, and the tubular guide may have an opening or cut out at itsupper side as at 6|, so that the thread can bewithdrawn from the eye ofthe needle. en the needle is advanced it may enter for some istance inthe needle channel afforded by the Ja :|l, I8 before it engages thefabric. The arran ement is such that there is no opportunity for t eneedle to buckle due to the longitudinal compression strain thereon.

i than half of the needle to reliably retain the latter. Since theelement 35 may be curved away on a radius much smaller than that of thewheel, no cut away is needed at the upper part of the guide 82. At oneend is formed a bracket arm 65 :for securement to the jaw head I5,abovewhich the needle eyeis accessible for removing the thread which hasbeen pulled through the fabric upon retraction'of the needle. It will beappreciated that' the needle is threaded after projection, and thethread disengaged from the needle for knotting or the like when thestitching is completed. Although the point of tangent contact where theneedle leaves the wheel 3| may be in the vertical plane of the axis ofwheel 3 I, with the roller 38 having its axis in that plane, it ispreferred to shift the point of tangency toward the jaws I5, I8, bymoving the roller 38 in that direction. Hence thereis a quicker angularseparation of the needle from the wheel 3|, which is importantespecially as the needle must leave the groove 32 before itcan bereliably engaged by a stationary guide. This drawback cannot be whollyavoided, as it would not aid much to extend a guide linger into thegroove 32, butit is obviated in large part by the cutaway at 33. Furtheradvantage is obtained by rounding oil? the leading end of the guide 62,whereby there is afforded clearance with the element 35 and also, ineffect, very short and strong portions 6B extending into the narrowingspace to additionally grip the needle. But with the top of the guideclosed substantially throughout it is in a position to directly preventthe tendency to buckling or deflection, which would be upward.

Supplemental means for engaging the needle as it leaves the channel 32may be afforded by the spring element 35 which may be arranged to followthe contour of the chain 35 at the roller 4|. Thus the chain is causedto press on the element 35 to restralnthe needle against any tendencytoward upward buckling. To avoid frictional contact between the element35 and the needle guide,

Purpose-the latter or at least one element 31 is always under tension,vand preferably actuates the member 3| for projection of the needle, asby a yielding power source 43 or by a power source such as theperiodically driven reversible shaft 83 oi' the sprockets 4|, or by boththis shaft and the yielding power source. The weight 43 may accordinglybe used merely to take up slack in the chain 31 and assure constantradial pressure on the needle.

JIn Fig. 8 is shown a device 1|| according to a modification of theinvention, and illustrating the gang feeding of needles such as 2| inaccordance with the principles above disclosed. A resultant utility ofthe modification is in the stitching of shrouds, comforters and othercoverings or sheets. For this purpose upper and lower identical jaws areused which may be of considerable width and length Illustratively only alower Jaw 1| need be shown having a plurality of rows of teeth 12 and aplurality'of rowsv of teeth 13, the diil'erent rows alternating with theteeth of rows 12 being staggered with respect to the teeth of rows 13,longitudinally of the grooves 14 provided for the needles 2|. The teethof rows 12`and 1I are respectively in transverse alignment. Instead of asingle needle, the wheel 3| and the drive means including the element 35and chain 31 are of suillcient width to accommodate a needlev for eachof the rows 12, 13. The wheel may have a groove 32 for each-needle, thedrive being in all respects the same as before, as hereindiagrammatically indicated by the wheel Ila and the spring element 35a,the chain being omitted for clarity in the drawing. When the jaws areclamped on the fabric, the result is as shown by `the teeth |1, I8 inFig. 3 and the stitching action is exactly the same as before. Thefabric obtained is shown at 15 in which the stitches 11 are staggeredrelative to the stitches 16 for an improved reenforcement and superiordecorative effect. The

stitching is effected by the movement of all the needlessimultaneously-for prowhich is readily attainable with the presentneedle drive.

a very small idler roller 61 may be utilized under the element and whichmay be mounted on the guide portion 64 or elsewhere. If the element 35is separated from the chain 31 as in Fig. 3, a very small idler rollermay be provided at 6B above the element to press downward thereon.Either arrangement of rollers 61 and 68 may be used lnterchangeably.

It will be now seen that the invention provides a plurality of elements,4such as 3| and 35 or 3| and 31, adapted to provide a curved path orchannel for a needle, and movable progressively apart or toward eachother, as the needle is projected or retracted, with the needlepreferably retracted and projected by one of these elements such as 3|,and caused to follow the curved path by the other element such as 35, 31or both. For that In Fig. 10 is shown a device 80 according toa theinvention. Here the described for the device 10.

vice 8U additionally provides for gang of needles 33 transverse and 13a.For this purpose each at 84, transversely to the grooves date theneedles 83. needles I claim:

1. A machine including means for crimping fabrics to be sewn by a longneedle passing through a multiplicity of crimps in a single stroke ofthe needle, a long iiexible reciprocating needle, means path is forguiding said needle comprising a single angularly movable member havinga continuous circular vpath for substantially the entire length of theneedle adapted to bend the needle into the curved path during retractionoi the needle,

means whereby the rear end of the needle is sev cured to the member,means cooperating with the member to guide and maintain said needle insaid curved path as the needle is being gradually released irom thatpath during projection oi the g needle and angular movement of saidmember,-

about the center of said path, strap means cooperating with said memberto form a tubular channel housing said needle against buckling up onprojection of the needle, means securing the rear end of the needle andthe adjacent end of the strap means to said member, causing the channelto progressively open as the needle leaves said member,and toprogressively close as the needle is retracted.

3. A sewing machine including a long,'recipro eating, ilexible needle,an angularly movable member having a ilxed axis and having a singlecontinuous circular portion having a groove, and

a flexible element adapted to be closely engagedA and disengaged withIthe Acircular portion upon angular movement of the member in one or inan opposite direction, said needle, said member and element being soiixedly interconnected and so cooperating with each other that theneedle is progressively continuously laid in the groove and snuglyretained therein by the element overlying the needle and isprogressively positively fed by the element from the groove, accordingasfthe member is moved in one or in an opposite direction, said needlebeing projected by the member as fed from the groove, means for causing.said element and needle to be curved about the member when the latteris turned in one direction, and means for causing the member to turn in-an opposite direction for projection of the needle while tensioning theelement to prevent buckling of the needle in course of' projection.

M4. A sewing machine including a long, flexible, reciprocating nedle, asingle angularly movable member having a curved portion, retaining-meanscooperating with said member, said needle and the retaining means beingconnected to said mem- Vfor movement therewith, said member, needle and'retaining means being so cooperative with each other that the needleand retaining means are wrapped along the curved portion with the saidretaining means overlying the needle and coacting with the curvedportion to provide a curved channel closely embracing the retractedneedle, the length of the curved portion being at least approximatelyequal to that of the needle said retaining means being progressivelyangularly separable from the curved portion upon angular movement of themember for projection of the needle, and actuating means for causingpro- V.retaining means va peripheral groove and on the needle jection ofthe needle by exerting tension on the for angularly moving said member.

5.'A sewing machine according to claim '4 including yielding meansconnected to the retaining means for constantly tensioning the same.

6. A sewing machine including a long, reciprocating, flexible needle, awheel member having being rotatable back and forth, the needle beingconnected at one end to the member so as to be adapted to be woundaround the member in said groove, a flexible strip element, a chainelement, said elements being connected to the member so as to be adaptedto be wound around the member upon angular movement o! the latter in onedirection, said needle and said elements being unwound .upon angularmovement oi the member in an opposite direction, said strip elementlying between the chain and the needle, and means for tensioning thechain to cause movement of the member for projection of the needle whilecausing radial pressure through the strip element to pre vent bucklingof the needle.

-i. A sewing machine according teV claim 6 wherein a yielding meansmaintains a constant wherein a roller and sprocket unit is provided withthe roller pressing the strip element against the member and thesprocket pressing the chain lelement against the strip element,substantially at. thepoint of tangent contact of the needle with themember, and means for mounting the 40 roller and sprocket unit and forcausing the same to bear down on said elements.

10. A sewing machine according to claim 6, wherein a stationary guide isprovided for the needle as projected from the member, said guide havinga tubular portion and a portion aligned therewith that hastalongitudinal opening confronting the member, the portion having the`opening being nearest to'the point of tangent contact of the needle andthe member.

ll. .A device including sewing means comprising a long, flexible,reciprocating needle element, a wheel, a ilexible strip element, saidelements being connected at one end to the wheel and bein! wound andunwound on the wheel as the latter is rotated back and forth to thusAretract and project the needle, the flexible strip element overlying theneedle element and the wheel having o peripheral grooved portioncooperating with the .flexible strip element to form a channel forembracing the needle as the latter is retracted, and

means for exerting a tension on the strip element to cause rotation ofthe wheel in one direction for projecting the needle element whilepreventing buckling of that part of the needle element that is woundaround the wheel.

12. A device according to claim l1, wherein a stationary guide isprovided for receiving the needle as projected. said guide extendingbevond the wheel in alignment with the said groove t0 prevent bucklingof the needle, the guide having an opening for access to the needle eye,and the wheel cooperating with the guide so that the needle stops vwithits eye at the opening of the guide.

13. A device according to claim l1, wherein a is capable of lying inclose of tangency of the needle guide is provided for receiving theneedle as projected, said guide extending beyond the sewing means inalignment therewith, and a roller is provided bearing on the flexibleelement at a point between the guide-'and a vertical plane passingthrough the axis of the wheel so that the guide proximity to the pointand wheel, said roller being substantially smaller in diameter than saidwheel.

14. A device according to claim 11 wherein a guide is provided forreceiving the needle as projected, said guide extending beyond thesewing `means in alignment therewith and having an opening at one endfor access to the needle eye,

, a rollersmaller than the wheel bearing down 'on the flexible elementat the point lwhere the elements leave the wheel, the guide extendinginto the angular space between the flexible element` and the wheel withthe flexible element passing over the guide, and the latter having anopening facing the wheel, said opening being at the other end portion ofthe guide, which end portion thus forms a laterally open tubular partengaging the needle. V

15. A device according to claim 11 wherein means is provided fordirectly turning the wheel in an opposite direction for retraction ofthe elements. i

16. A device for actuating a nexib1e needle, in-v clnding a singlerotatable wheel for directly winding the needle in a curved path, meanscooperating with the .wheel for embracing the needle progressively ascurved and for snugly retaining the needle from buckling when graduallyprojected from said curved path for progressive sewing,

means for securing the rear end portion of the needle xedly to the wheeland means for tensioning the cooperating means to rotate the wheel forcausing the needle to be progressively released,`

and positively driven from its rear end. v

MORRIS S.MALEK.

